My Passion Project

Something I ask all my guests at the end of each interview is any advice they have.
It’s often my favourite part of the conversation.
The responses so often vary, from advice about a particular passion to advice about pursuing passion in general.
So when it came to deciding how to finish season 2, I thought I’d bring back My Passion Mixtape and showcase the advice I’ve heard across 20 episodes.
Thanks so much for listening today and through season 2.

If there was one piece of advice I could offer my younger self, or anyone for that matter, it would be to mediate

The mental, physical and social benefits of meditation are far reaching and long lasting.

I can think of few things where such little investment can deliver such large rewards.

That’s why I was so interested to speak with someone that has a passion for meditation. 

And who better than Asher Packman, a meditation teacher the President of the Meditation Australia.

I hope you enjoy this conversation and maybe even take a few minutes afterwards to meditate.

You can find out more about Meditation Australia here: https://meditationaustralia.org.au/ 

Often when I talk to people about this podcast they tell me they are a passionate person but couldn’t limit themselves to one single passion.

I’m a little like that myself and while we canvass one passion at a time on the podcast I thought it would be interesting to have a guest come back on to share a second passion.

In season one we heard from Oliver about his passion for cars, unsurprising to those of us who know Oliver, it’s been a listener favourite.

So I thought we’d invite Oliver back on for season 2 to share another passion of his.

This time a passion he’s managed to combine with his professional life, the passion for aviation.

I once heard the most poetic reflection on wine:

Wine is grapes, little more than grapes.

But the reason we find it so interesting is because it's so different.

The exact same variety of grape, grown in different soil or a different climate, or even in the same place but a different year tastes so different.

You can't replicate it, what you have in that bottle is a one-off, its unique.

It's why it's so romanticised, why people collect it, why it's so expensive. 

And if you think of wine that way, it's no surprisethat people have a passion for it.

I was so lucky to meet one such person, Maritza, she lives and breathes her passion for wine and just can't get enough of sharing it with others.

I just had to have her on the podcast, I hope you enjoy, maybe even over a glass of wine.

If you want to enjoy Maritza's passion first hand, check out her wine tours: https://www.countryescapetours.com.au/ 

So much of my day job involves the written word.

Reading and writing has been a big part of my life, from school and university and well into my career.

I’m sure that’s the case for so many of my listeners. 

But there’s something special about tapping into a passion for writing.

Not writing because you have to but writing because you want to.

Better yet, writing to share your passion and to support others.

Our next guest has taken his passion for writing and is doing exactly that. 

Listen to hear more and be sure to check out Men with Manners on Instagram. @men.with.manners 

One the things I love about interviewing guests on this podcast is you can approach a subject for which you have little prior interest and completely change your perspective in the course of just one conversation.

That’s the power of passion and the power of hearing someone share the things they are passionate for.

Motorcyles and racing are not the things I’m ordinarily drawn to, but hearing this week’s guest, I find my self totally captivated.

There’s something so electric about hearing people share their passion and something infectious too.

I hope you enjoy this conversation and find it as engaging as I did. 

You can find more about Jerry and his passion project here: https://motorcyclewarsofficial.com/ 

I love running.

I haven’t always loved it but during university. I started to jog in the morning.

I found it cleared my head and as a student I found I had to do something to stay healthy.

It was in Canberra I really began to run, it’s a beautiful place to run and where I did my first half. 

Now in Sydney I’m spoiled, morning runs to the Opera House, Mrs Macquarie’s Chair and my personal favourite Rushcutters Bay.

I’m not the fastest nor can I run the farthest but I really do love it.

So I couldn’t resist when an email landed in the podcast mailbox about a passion for running.

Not only that, but for running with a purpose.

Janelle da Silva has been running for an incredible reason and I can’t wait for you to hear more.

You can hear more from Janelle here: https://youtu.be/O40_NCImGZQ  or at: https://www.janelledasilva.com/. 

It’s the end of our first season and I thought we’d try something a little different today.

I’ve enjoyed every single one of our interviews with our passionate guests on topics as diverse as cars and education through to travel and social impact.

I’m so lucky to be surrounded by the most incredibly passionate people.

And while usually we just get to talk with one of them per episode. 

I thought for this final episode on 2021 we’d try the very first My Passion Mixtape.

You’ll hear a diverse range of topics throughout this episode from reading, fishing and speech pathology to racing and gymnastics.

They come with different experiences, philosophies and accents.

But there’s one thing they all share: that golden thread of passion that’s been woven across every guest we’ve heard from this season.

Before we kick off, I just want to extend a huge thanks to all our guests who have participated in this podcast.

And of course, some 2,500 listeners that have made this all worth while.

Stay passionate! 

Some people you study with are just tourists in your life. 

You cross paths for a few years, take a few photos and leave with some memories.

But there are a special few that you form a particular bond with.

The people that stay a part of your life, even when there’s space in time and geography.

For me, todays guest is one of them – Ash Peplow Ball.

I value having Ash in my life for many reasons.

But above all I know when Ash is in my life, my life will have more impact.

She’s always challenged me to do better and supported those around her to do what needs to be done.

Ash has a longstanding passion for social impact, community activism and making a difference.

I think you’ll understand exactly why I consider myself so lucky to still call her my friend.